[Tubby Isaacs]

Fair play to Hamza Yousuf for saying there's not yet a sustained majority for independence. That's a striking comment for somebody running for the leadership of the SNP now, and very obviously true. Is that going to be held against him? If independence is downgraded as a short term aim, as this suggests it would be, does support ebb away? Not to say it can't come back when the next UK Government farce-disgrace happens, of course.

Yousuf seemed to be well regarded when he was at Transport, I don't know what he's supposed to have done wrong since. Has he done anything or is it the "sADIQ KAHNS MADE LONDON THIRD WORLD" factor at work?

[Tubby Isaacs]

In the meantime, Forbes has rest her campaign somewhat with apologies for people upset by the implication of her remarks. But surely, she's fucked.

I wonder where this "matters of conscience" thing came from in the first place. Was it from left wing Roman Catholics in the Labour Party, who'd vote against abortion while supporting 83% top rate tax or whatever? I can respect those people overall, but I don't see why I have to give their views on abortion special status as conscience, rather than just seeing them as wrong. I think there are barely any of them high up in Labour now anyway. Becky Long-Bailey a bit, maybe, but she only talked about opposing later term aborions, I think.

The Wee Frees are a bit of a harder sell than Roman Catholics at the best of time, but Forbes seems like she's a politician out of time.

[Andy McDandy]

Goes back a long way. Plenty of knights of the shires, representing bluff yeomen and having no time for that nonsense, save for those youthful indiscretions in an Oxford punt.

[Tubby Isaacs]

That makes me think of Portillo. Malcolm Rifkind, being supportive, called Portillo's gay experiences "personal".

Are there earlier examples? Was that defence made of Harvey Proctor? Can't remember, but I think the upshot was the end of his career.

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/19 ... ticalnews3

[Tubby Isaacs]

This looks to me like a bit of standard "politician runs away from journo" stuff. Reactions BTL are bizarre though. Lots of Nats hate one of their own being pigeonholed, naturally, and lots of Unionists love it. Naturally.

But there's loads of "Of course there's a conspiracy!", seemingly from Nats.

Is this stuff going to lead anywhere, or is it dependent on Craig Murray delivering? I'll believe that when I see it. I'm not the biggest fan of the SNP, but Christ, I want them to see off Alba.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Murphy was too much of a liability even for Jez,. Have the more mainstream SNPers told him to fuck off as well? Here he talking up the "outsider".

The person he's referring to has made very serious allegations, as yet not backed up, against Sturgeon. That's what is raising eyebrows. The genius campaigner was last seen getting 1.6% as a list candidate for Alba in 2021.

[Arrowhead]

The genius campaigner was last seen getting 1.6% as a list candidate for Alba in 2021.

Have to admit, that made me chuckle

[Oboogie]

Yousuf seemed to be well regarded when he was at Transport, I don't know what he's supposed to have done wrong since. Has he done anything or is it the "sADIQ KAHNS MADE LONDON THIRD WORLD" factor at work?

Humza Yousaf is blamed by his detractors for the state of the NHS in Scotland. I don't know much about his record so can't judge how (un)fair that might be.
NB: Hamza Yusuf is an American Islamic scholar.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Apol, Yousaf.

Nominations closed, no other candidates showed up.

[Youngian]

Kate storms ahead although 45% holding out for a hero

[Tubby Isaacs]

Not a great result for the SNP in the only Scottish council by-election last night. Though I suppose the SNP's "keep it in the ground" policy may not be particularly popular in Aberdeen.

[Abernathy]

So it’s Forbes, Yousaf, or Regan. Not exactly an inspiring choice, is it ? A self-confessed homophobic bigot, a man presiding over a Scots NHS in the worst state for decades, and well, who knows? The underwhelming Regan today revealed her big idea to take the place of Sturgeon’s plan to teat the general election as a de facto referendum. It’s errrr. . . a de facto referendum. Well, at any rate, Regan’s cunning plan is to insert a “commitment to independence” into every SNP manifesto, not just the general election manifesto, as “the first line”. Then, if the SNP is re-elected to Holyrood, Regan will simply proceed with declaring and negotiating an independent Scotland. Should work a treat, eh ? No worries about whether such a manifesto commitment might put voters off voting SNP, or whether voters might be concerned about multiple other issues than just independence. Sturgeon’s plan attracted criticism that to stand the remotest chance of any credibility, let alone validity, it would necessitate the party standing on a manifesto consisting solely of a single line. Regan’s idea erm, solves that? Or does it?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Manifestos for stuff you don’t have the power to do anyway. Great.

[Tubby Isaacs]

I know I'm not the intended audience, but even so. Going to make every election a de facto referendum? So if the Yes parties got 49% in the general election next year, that doesn't count as a loss, and it's all back on if they get 50.1% in the Holyrood elections in 2026?

And what "negotiations"? The UK Government won't be holding any, on the not entirely spurious grounds that whatever vote wasn't a referendum.

[Tubby Isaacs]

If I ever run for election for a party, I'll say "You lot are a small chunk of the electorate., with no great claim to expertise. So I'll ignore you when I need to, right?"

Obviously all politicians say this stuff, but this seems pretty strong. All major decisions of the party's direction? And anyway didn't she emerge when she resigned over the GRR Bill? I'd guess that SNP members would have strongly supported that.

But as I say, I'm not the intended audience.

[Abernathy]

Giving members total control over all major decisions about the party doesn't work out well, Ash.

Yours sincerely, the Labour Party.

[Youngian]

GBeebies election take on Kate Forbes manages to make it about Humza. He says believes in the gay stuff but we know what his lot really think

[Tubby Isaacs]

Yeah, why hasn’t Yousaf been asked about gay marriage? Apart from when he is. He missed a vote 10 years ago but has made it clear he supports it now.

Not exactly the same as Forbes then.

[Abernathy]

Been thinking a bit more about Forbes' admission of homophobic bigotry. Sheer nastiness aside, it's simply not good politics. Especially for an aspirant First Minister of Scotland. Choosing publicly to own such attitudes in a political culture that is essentially progressive is surely at best naive, and at worst reflective of a lack of political skill, and/or the strategic approach to politics that is an essential pre-requisite for any political leader. She has clumsily attempted to cloak her bigotry in the dubious guise of religious conviction, but that very clearly won't cut the mustard in 21st century Scotland. Given the sheer cack-handedness of the way that she, as a political operator, has dealt with this, why would anybody vote for her to get a job in which strategic political skills are an essential requirement?

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ash Regan and Kate Forbes would just drop the GRR bill, have I got that right?

SNP members surely won’t like that, on the double grounds that they support the bill and oppose the UK block on principle.